Tinnitus

PLEASE NOTE - THIS INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GUIDANCE ONLY. IT IS NOT IN ANY WAY A SUBSTITUTE FOR A SPECIALIST CONSULTATION.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is defined as any noise that is not generated outside the body - in other words some sort of noise that people hear that is coming from somewhere within the body.

It may come in various types, such as whistling, buzzing, whirring or humming, or sometimes a strong awareness of one's own heartbeat (known as pulsatile tinnitus)

What causes tinnitus?

The exact cause of tinnitus is not known, and the cause may be different in different people.

There are a number of theories about what causes tinnitus. One of the most widely accepted is called the Jastreboff model. Please see the links page on this website for links to some explanations of these theories.

Some people are concerned that their tinnitus may be a sign that they have a serious condition such as a brain tumour. Whilst these worries are understandable, this is almost never the case. If the tinnitus has been present for a number of months and is purely heard in one ear, there is about a 1% (1 in 100) chance that it may be caused by a benign tumour called an acoustic neuroma pressing on the nerve of hearing as it passes between the inner ear and the brain. If there is concern about this, an MRI scan may be required to rule it out. Occasionally we may also have to do tests to look for possible causes of pulsatile tinnitus, but otherwise a scan is not necessary.

How can tinnitus be treated?

Unfortunately we do not at this time have any medications or operations that can turn off tinnitus. However this does not mean it cannot be treated, and does not mean that it will be permanent.

Sound enrichment (distracting the brain away from the tinnitus by using other sounds) can be very successful. There are also a number of other therapies that many people find help their tinnitus, and we will be happy to discuss these with you.